


Must Love Dogs

by TheMightyChipmunk



Series: Reddie Meet-Cute AUs [1]
Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Cute Dogs, M/M, Meet-Cute, Modern AU, Recreational Drug Use, mentioned in passing - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-12 02:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12949749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyChipmunk/pseuds/TheMightyChipmunk
Summary: When Eddie sees a dog, he's gotta pet it. Even when he is stuck in traffic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> loosely inspired by [this post](https://zackisontumblr.tumblr.com/image/168272524182)
> 
> I'm thinking about doing a meet-cute series... lemme know if this is something anyone would be interested in. If no one is... I'll probably write it anyway because I love Reddie but yeah.

Eddie may or may not have been very high. Like a level of high that he had never ever been before, and it was all Mike’s fault. Of course, at the time Eddie would never blame Mike for it, but that was just because he was high and for lack of a better phrase, he was viewing the whole fucking world with rose colored glasses. In the best way possible.

Future-Eddie of course would look back on the moment where Mike forgot to tell Eddie that the weed in the bong was moon rocks and think _wow Mike really fucked me over_. Or when he thought about how Mike got distracted by Stan bending over in the corner and held the flame over the bowl a little too long for Eddie to handle, he would think _yeah he definitely fucked me over_. Or when he thought about when Stan came over and gently teased Eddie for not being able to complete the rip and made him finish it and Mike didn’t say _anything_ to defend him, he would think _Mike is a horny coward who totally fucked me over._

But at the moment, everything was soft and floaty and the burning in his chest was finally subsided and Stan was driving him to go get a McFlurry. Why would he be mad at Mike when it was his actions that got him to this very moment? He could hear Hozier playing on the radio, Stan’s soft voice singing along, and the sky was blue and bright, puffy clouds slowly moving along and he got a long time to stare at them too because they were stuck in LA traffic and-

_Oh. My. God._

“A dog!” Eddie screamed, staring out the window and at the car a few spots ahead of them to the left. He pointed to the fluffy brown and white dog that was poking his head out the window and felt tears spring to his eyes because he didn’t know it before but this was _exactly what he needed at that moment_.

“Oh wow, what a _great_ dog.” Mike agreed, craning around Stan to see him as well, eyes just as red and heavy as Eddie’s.

“She looks so… regal.” Eddie mused and he practically crowed when their lane moved forward and Eddie was right next to the dog. Karma had a real good kiss for him today.

“I wonder what she’s _thinking_ about.” Mike whispered, staring at her dreamily and then… the dog SAW THEM. And she BARKED. And Eddie knew, he _knew_ she was talking to him. She wanted to meet him. Eddie unbuckled his seat and rolled down the window, ignoring Stan’s pleas not to.

“She wants to meet me!” Eddie groaned and he reached out to touch soft fur. The dog barked happily and smelled Eddie’s hand with her little wet nose. Eddie literally choked on a sob because he loved dogs so much. He always wanted one growing up, but his mom had allergies and they couldn’t. She felt bad about it and compromised and got him all the fish that he wanted but it wasn’t the s _ame_. It wasn’t this moment, when with just one sniff he knew this dog would love him forever. And that he would die for her.

“Um, Richie. There is a boy petting Rosalita.”

Eddie looked up from the deep brown recesses of his new best friend’s eyes and saw a boy who was probably sixteen staring at him like he was crazy (which he probably was but… that’s beside the point).

“Is this your dog?” Eddie asked, reluctantly pulling back his hand because _oh yeah, you have to ask the owner’s permission before you stick the upper-half of your body out of the car to pet a dog_. Even a really friendly one with kind eyes and a loving soul.

“Um, no, she’s-”

“Mine.” A scratchy voice cut-in, pulling Eddie’s attention to the driver seat of the car, where a boy with wild curls and a wide smile stared at him, “Wow, Georgie, you didn’t say it was a _cute boy_.” Eddie felt his cheeks flush and he spluttered out nonsense for a good five seconds, searching for what to say.

“Pssh… psh, please, _what_? I’m not even… _you’re_ the cute… I can’t- Stan! This guy thinks I’m _cute_.” Eddie managed eventually, much to the amusement of the stranger driver. He finally turned to Stan who had rolled down his own window to try and get Eddie back inside.

“Eddie, will you _please_ sit back down and buckle up? You’re going to hurt yourself.” Stan pleaded, putting on his best mom-face, but Eddie was not to be trifled with. There was a hot boy and a cute dog close by and Eddie was never one to not have his priorities straight.

“Stan, please,” Eddie said in his most reasonable voice, continuing to pet the head of the fluffy dog, “I am in the middle of something very important.” Stan just scoffed and Eddie heard Mike let out a bellowing laugh, but Eddie paid them no mind, that calm that always came with a high settling over him sweetly.

“You,” Eddie pointed at the driver guy, “Have a very nice face. And smile. Me and my friends are going to get McFlurries, would you and your… child friend like to join us? We could hold hands and talk about your dog and maybe why your glasses are so big.”

“Eddie, I have to _move forward_ , if you don’t get your body in the car right _now_ -”

“Stan, please!” Eddie begged and yelped slightly when the car inched forward with traffic, Eddie’s body still half out of the car. Luckily the other lane was moving slowly with them, so Eddie just held on to the puppy and was safe, but he still glared at Stan for good measure.

“Traffic is going to move soon so if you could _conclude this_ , that would be good, you idiot.” Stan snapped before rolling up his window, mumbling the whole time about mitzvahs and dumb high boys.

“Eddie, is it?” the driver pulled Eddie’s attention back over and he felt a grin stretch across his cheeks.

“You know my name?” he asked, ecstatic. He really _really_ liked when this guy said his name, liked the way he said it like he was savoring each syllable. The guy laughed again and nodded.

“Your friend there yelled it a few times, yeah,” he explained and Eddie _ohhhed_ in understanding, “Is he your boyfriend?”

“Stan! No! He’s like… my _mom_. Not my boyfriend.” Eddie explained with a shake of his head. Stan was cute and everything but so was that little egg cartoon that slept in strips of bacon and Eddie didn’t want to date that egg.

“What egg are you talking about?” the guy asked through rolling laughter. Eddie laughed too and looked at Rosalita, confused.

“Did I say that out-loud?”

“Yes, cutie, you did. And I’m sorry, I’d love to hang out with you, but I actually gotta get this punk to his brother’s apartment.” He said, pointing a finger at the boy in the backseat and Eddie turned to look at him with the wide eyes. The boy, who had a kind face and soft looking blonde hair, smiled at Eddie and gave him a big thumbs up.

“Oh, okay. That’s too bad.” Eddie pulled back slightly into the car and the boy reached a hand out to stop him. He had nice hands, they looked big and calloused and Eddie wanted to hold one.

“Wait! Um, maybe you could add me on Facebook or something though? My name is Richie Tozier. T-o-z-i-e-r. We could go out another… less trafficky time?” Richie asked, looking nervous and adorable and Eddie grinned again.

“That’s _perfect._ ” He whispered, once to Richie and then once again to the puppy who was now licking his hand. “So I’ll see you later?” Eddie asked, sensing that he should probably get back in the car now. Richie nodded and winked at him.

“I’ll be counting down the minutes, Eds, ol’ chap.” He teased in a Cockney accent and Eddie felt himself giggle hysterically.

“Stop that, Rich, you’re not _British_.” Eddie laughed as he slid back into the car. He waved at Richie once the window was rolled up because the guy was still staring at him. He stared at him until the boy in the backseat had to hit him on the shoulder and get him to move forward with traffic. Richie turned around sheepishly and drove away, but Eddie thought of him for the whole rest of the car ride.

 “Only Eddie-fucking-Kaspbrak could get a guy’s number while _high_ in _traffic_.” Mike giggled and Eddie felt himself smirk.

“It’s my charisma.” He stated simply, ignoring Stan’s huff and almost audible eye-roll. Instead he just leaned back in his seat, looked back up at the clouds and chanted in his head _Richie Tozier Richie Tozier Richie Tozier_.

He _needed_ to remember the name when he wasn’t high anymore.

Oh and he also needed to make a Facebook.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is for [Jade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inoubliable/pseuds/inoubliable) because she's pretty cool and encourages me to write things

“Okay, I need to pick a profile picture.” Eddie called out to Stan and Mike, who were in the kitchen making dinner. Eddie was curled up on the couch with Stan’s laptop, wrapped up in a blanket and eating an obscene amount of tortilla chips. “I’m not good at being objective about my face and body so I need you guys to choose for me.” He stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth as Stan jumped over the edge of the couch to sit next to him and immediately snatched the bag of chips away from him.

“Mike is making enchiladas, stop fucking eating.” Stan scolded, leaning over him to look at photo options.

“But I’m hungry.” Eddie groaned, slumping back into his blanket burrito. So maybe he was still a little high; that was a possibility.

“The food will be ready in like twenty minutes, don’t ruin your appetite.”

“I don’t think that’s possible. I’m a growing boy.” Eddie sassed but Stan just rolled his eyes in true mom-fashion.

“You stopped growing in the eighth grade and you know it.” Stan deadpanned, Mike laughing loudly from the kitchen. Eddie turned to glare at him, but it probably didn’t land as hard as he wanted to… since he was wrapped in a blanket and covered in crumbs, “I like the one we did at that photo shoot last year. Use that one.”

“Yeah? That won’t seem like I’m trying too hard?” Eddie asked and Stan looked at him like he was crazy.

“Why are you thinking about this so much?” Mike called out, “That guy was in love with you after two seconds of you petting his dog. I don’t think he’ll care what your profile picture is.”

“I’m more concerned with why you’re doubting me? Just do what I say and use that picture, thank you very much.” Stan said, clicking the picture for Eddie.

“Ugghh, you know why I’m overthinking! I’m Eddie Kaspbrak, hi, have you met me?!” Eddie said, ignoring Stan and snatching the computer back, “Maybe I should take a selfie right now instead? It will look casual and organic?”

“Okay first of all, I love you, but you look high as fuck right now, you’re a mess,” Stan started, “And second of all, you’re wearing the same clothes you were when you saw him this afternoon, so that might look a little weird.”

“Fine! I’ll use your picture,” Eddie relented, sighing loudly and uploading the photo. Stan muttered _thank you_ under his breath and collapsed back into the couch, “Now… What should I do for the cover photo?”

“Uggghhahhhh!”

###

“Richie, you have been staring at that fucking screen for like an hour, please snap out of it.” Georgie teased, snapping his fingers in front of Richie’s face. Bill laughed at them both as Richie batted at Georgie’s hands and stuck his tongue out at him.

“You know, sometimes I forget which one of you is still in high school.” Bill mused, walking into the living room and handing Richie a slice of pizza, “You know, if he’s going to message you, he’ll do it whether or not you are desperately staring at your Facebook.”

“Yeah, okay, okay,” Richie sighed, closing his laptop reluctantly and taking a giant bite of his pizza, “He was just so fucking _cute, Billy_.”

“I know, I know. He had the face of an angel and a smile that could probably foster world peace. I get it, jesus.” Bill teased and Richie just smiled, remembering the way Eddie’s eyes had crinkled when he laughed and the way he’d stared at Rosa like she held the answers to the fucking universe.

Guys like that are one in a million.

“He was just… so-”

“High, he was so _so_ high.” Georgie added with a smug grin. Richie glared at him.

“How do you even know what that means? You’re like eight.” Richie teased, tossing a balled up napkin at where Georgie was laying with Rosa.

“I’m seventeen, you wang. I know what marijuana is.” Georgie replied and Richie wanted to laugh because only Georgie Denbrough would use the full word marijuana unironically. Fucking dweeb.

“I don’t need your sass, little man, I’m waiting for the love of my life to begin our legendary romance.” Richie snapped and Bill barked out a laugh.

“Did you mention to him that you’re a huge fucking drama queen?” Bill snickered, earning a glare from Richie.

“I don’t-” he didn’t even really know what he was going to say but it didn’t maTTER because halfway through the dig, his phone beeped, “Out of my way! That’s him!” Richie yelled, throwing himself over Bill to grab his phone that he’d left on the coffee table.

“What the fuck, Rich?” Bill yelped, pushing him right the fuck off of him. Richie rolled onto the floor but he didn’t even care because he had his phone and-

“Damn it. It’s just Bev, she’s on her way over.” Richie pouted, tossing his phone in the corner and standing up quickly, “Okay we need to get my mind off of this. Let’s… play a game or something.”

“A game?” Georgie asked and he sounded put off, but Richie knew he was actually really excited about it. He was huge dork, huge dorks love board games.

“Yeah, let’s play like fucking Risk or something, I don’t know. Clue?”

“Richie, I don’t own any board games.” Bill explained as if that was obvious, “They’re expensive and I’m an adult man. I’m not spending my money on Clue.”

“Well that’s just stupid. That doesn’t make any sense. Board games are… garbage who cares about board games?” Richie yelled, shifting tone halfway through because his phone beeped again. He slid to the corner of the room, grabbed his phone and-

“Is it him?” Georgie asked, and Rosa perked up with him, staring at Richie with her giant eyes like she already knew the answer and was excited to see Eddie again as well.

“Eddie Kaspbrak sent me a friend request. Eddie Kaspbrak sent me a friend re _queeeeest_!!”

“Oh dear _God_.”

“What should I say? I have to message him right?” Richie asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet nervously. Georgie grabbed the phone from him and held out a hand.

“Please, let me.” Georgie offered kindly and Richie breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, he trusted the kid. They fucked with each other a lot, but ultimately he had a good heart. Whatever he wrote would work out.

###

“I did it! I sent the request!” Eddie called out around the fingernail he couldn’t stop biting nervously. He had never bitten his nails ever before in his life, but that was the level of nerves that he had reached.

“That’s great, please come have dinner now.” Mike responded and Eddie grumbled in agreement, heaving himself off the couch.

“You brought the laptop with you?” Stan deadpanned, glaring at him as Eddie hopped up on a barstool and shrugged.

“I need to be ready to respond.” He explained as if he was calm. He was not.

“He’s not going to message immediately.” Stan reasoned, but mid-sentence the computer beeped, indicating Richie had sent him a message. Eddie gasped and opened it quickly reading:

_Hey girl, what that thang do?_

“What the fuck?” Stan said, echoing Eddie’s thoughts directly.

###

“What the _fuck did you do Georgie?_ ” Richie yelled, chasing the boy around the room as he cackled loudly. “Bill, help me kill your brother!”

“Yeah, I’m not gonna do that.” Bill said calmly, flipping through Netflix, “you know the more you chase him around, the longer Eddie just has that message in his inbox. You should probably fix that.” Richie stopped abruptly, socked feet skidding a little on the floor.

“Oh _shit_ , what do I say? How do I fix this?” Richie asked, scrambling to grab his phone back and open the messenger app.

“I don’t know,” Bill shrugged, “Tell the truth?” Richie stared at him for a moment before nodding.

“Interesting, I’ll try that.” Richie stared at his screen for a long moment and Bill sighed loudly.

“My friend’s little brother stole my phone and sent that, I am so sorry.” Bill clarified and Richie nodded and agreed loudly.

“Yeah, I know. I know what the truth is! … Thank you, Bill.”

###

“What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?” Eddie asked out loud. Mike laughed and made a contemplative sound.

“I mean, you could play along. Maybe it’s a joke. Say something like… what you want it to do, baby?” Mike offered and Eddie glared at him for a moment, before his face softened.

“Do you really think I should?” he asked and Stan snatched the phone out of his hand.

“No! Jesus, babe, who _are_ you?” Stan asked Mike, who just shrugged and smiled smugly.

“I think it would be funny!” Mike explained. Stan rolled his eyes.

“You’re ins _ane_. And- oh, hey, he messaged again.” Stan said and Eddie yelped, jumping up to read over Stan’s shoulder.

“What’d he say?” Mike asked.

“It was his friend’s little brother apparently… and he wants to know how Eddie is, if he’s still high.” Stan explained and Eddie snatched the phone back out of his hand.

“Ah! Okay, I’m doing this alone now! This is my conversation!” he yelled, running out of the kitchen and locking himself in the bathroom.

“Okay, call us if you need help!” Mike called after him. Eddie breathed a sigh of relief and smiled down at his phone.

Eddie _: Oh okay?_ _I thought that was a weird way to start a conversation so I’m glad that wasn’t you. And um, I’m good! Still a little high, but definitely more sober and definitely slightly embarrassed that I mauled your dog mid-traffic._

Richie _: oh please, don’t be embarrassed. It was probably the best thing I’ve ever seen. How were the McFlurries?_

Eddie _: So good. Best things I’ve ever had. I mean, sober Eddie is going to hate me because I am lactose intolerant. But high Eddie LOVED IT._

Richie _: lmao amazing. I wish I could’ve joined you._

Eddie _: me too! Would’ve been fun :) what are you doing now?_

Richie _: eating pizza at Bill’s. but you’re asking the wrong question._

Eddie _: what?_

Richie _: you should be asking what I’m wearing ;)))_

Eddie _: fuck pls tell me that was the kid again_

Richie _: nope, all me. So what are you wearing?_

Eddie _: I just put on 18 more layers bc of that question_

Richie _: that’s hot, that’s hot._

Eddie _: you’re ridiculous_

Richie _: ooh you been hanging out with my dad? You sound a lot like him_

Eddie _: is this you trying to flirt? Bc I hate that it’s kind of working_

Richie _: oh thank GOD bc I have no idea what I’m doing_

Eddie _: well that’s obvious_

Eddie _: how about I throw you a bone and just ask you if you wanna get drinks tomorrow night?_

Richie _: Bless you, yes pls I would love that_

Eddie _: awesome! ....... I can show you what this thang do_

Richie _: bYEEE_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know these are supposed to be one-shots but... i am weak when ppl want things from me so HERE WE ARE
> 
> hope you liked it!!! come say [hi to me on tumblr](http://themightychipmunk.tumblr.com/)


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